Is casting Evil spells an evil act?

[Li Shenron]

I voted no, because I think as the game sets it up now, to vote yes is less fun, and less interesting.

It's very subjective. We've always found it quite flavorful that there is some magic which is inherently evil and some which is inherently good, even if 95% of magic is in fact neutral. To me that is more interesting than having everything neutral (as a matter of fact, I'd like it more Evil/Good spells were a little more abundant). But if the whole spell list was split between good and evil, then I would agree that it'd be less interesting.

 

[glass]

I didn't vote, because my answer is:

Yes, IMC.

Yes, if you use the BoVD/BoED.

Maybe, based on just the text in the PHB (IMO it is arguable either way).

EDIT: Changed my mind. Yes seems to be winning 2.5-0.5 in my post so I voted yes.


glass.

 

[Klaus]

I voted Yes, and I don't think Deathwatch should be [Evil]. It should be a Divination/Necromancy spell.

 

[lukelightning]

Fantasy literature and gaming is filled with examples of certain powers being inherently evil without regard to their actual ability or manifestation. In the Star Wars universe, for example, the use of Sith lightning is evil (ok, "Dark Side") no matter what you use it for. However, it is perfectly acceptable to use the force to guide a torpedo into a space station and kill everyone.

D&D is a moral universe. Good and Evil are actual things, separate from human consciousness, morals, and ethics. I see no problem with saying that for metaphysical reasons, even "harmless" spells such as deathwatch are evil; heck, the description of the spell says that you call upon the powers of unlife.

As for evil skeletons and zombies, there is nothing wrong or illogical with mindless undead being Evil. D&D has all sorts of evil things that lack intelligence or consciousness. There are evil items, evil plane, evil spells. All of which are EVIL without any sentience or awareness.

 

[Seeten]

I wish I could find one of these DM's who is interested in the moral dilemma that casting an evil spell to do good could cause. That might make for fun rp. Sadly, not so much.

 

[Shemeska]

As for evil skeletons and zombies, there is nothing wrong or illogical with mindless undead being Evil. D&D has all sorts of evil things that lack intelligence or consciousness. There are evil items, evil plane, evil spells. All of which are EVIL without any sentience or awareness.

Except those evil planes and fiends and such are physically composed of the raw stuff of abstract evil in its various flavors. Skeletons and zombies... not at all, and the energy empowering them is entirely neutral. The only reason they're considered Evil in 3.x is a bizarre conceit of the 3.5 rules, ostensibly so Shallow McPaladin could smite them for uber damage.

And then we just devolve into the BoVD/ED icky=evil stuff, and the same sources' ideas that blasphemously evil actions are Good so long as they're done by good people or if the spell has a Good tag on it, and all of that is rapibly becoming the Godwin rule of D&D threads.

 

[Land Outcast]

And then we just devolve into the BoVD/ED icky=evil stuff, and the same sources' ideas that blasphemously evil actions are Good so long as they're done by good people or if the spell has a Good tag on it, and all of that is rapibly becoming the Godwin rule of D&D threads.

I take it you don't like D&D's alignament system

 

[Chiaroscuro23]

Sure. It kinda bugs me that summoning evil creatures is an [Evil] act. Not because it doesn't make sense--summoning fiends from hell to slay one's foes is the classic tactic of evil warlocks opposed by all god fearing folk--but because it kinda nerfs the Summon Monster spells, by eliminating at least half the list of potential summonees.

 

[Nail]

The only reason they're considered Evil in 3.x is a bizarre conceit of the 3.5 rules.

Not really.

No more that Bbns get d12 HD because of a bizarre conceit of the 3.5e rules.

 

[Seeten]

Fantasy literature and gaming is filled with examples of certain powers being inherently evil without regard to their actual ability or manifestation. In the Star Wars universe, for example, the use of Sith lightning is evil (ok, "Dark Side") no matter what you use it for. However, it is perfectly acceptable to use the force to guide a torpedo into a space station and kill everyone.

D&D is a moral universe. Good and Evil are actual things, separate from human consciousness, morals, and ethics. I see no problem with saying that for metaphysical reasons, even "harmless" spells such as deathwatch are evil; heck, the description of the spell says that you call upon the powers of unlife.

As for evil skeletons and zombies, there is nothing wrong or illogical with mindless undead being Evil. D&D has all sorts of evil things that lack intelligence or consciousness. There are evil items, evil plane, evil spells. All of which are EVIL without any sentience or awareness.

I dont dispute these facts, I dispute that it makes the game more fun. Thus, the handwave in games I DM. I prefer to deal with mindless things not being evil inherently, but being evil based on actions. I prefer a Lawful Evil Cleric being LE because he's done evil things, not because he has some metaphysical evil but has never acted evil in any way.